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Re: Best materials for smoker fuel

Im a few years in and have been right where you are. I don't have any pine trees close by so that was ruled out, wasn't doing woodworking at the time so wood chips and sawdust, weren't a viable option, turns out old wore and faded out jeans make the best fuel i have used so far. About anything natural that burns will work, its just whats handy...

Re: Best materials for smoker fuel

I use a paper towel or two to start a hot fire, get a good burn going, then put 1/2 cup oak grilling chips on top and let that burn some before closing the smoker for a cool long lasting smoke. Practice helps. More chips for a longer run.

Re: Best materials for smoker fuel

Lots of great ideas to choose from. Personally, I like to use one of the most available items around; rotten wood. Find any old rotten log and crumble up a bunch of the pulpy old junk, load the smoker, and light it up. It lasts and smokes great. I usually end up snuffing out the smoker because it lasts through the work. Try it, you'll like it.

Re: Best materials for smoker fuel

I use burlap from a local coffee roaster. I really like it.

That video of Don that PatBeek posted above is a good one. I found that seeing Don do that really helped me get better with the smoker. I think a lot of people simply put too little fuel in the smoker, so it burns it up and goes out pretty quickly.

Re: Best materials for smoker fuel

Re: Best materials for smoker fuel

Burlap is the easiest and cheapest and burns the longest. It is what i use and i suppose 90% of the commercial beeks use it. However i know that alfalfa cubes for horses work very well. Like burlap when lighting a new stick use an old already burnt piece they light easier.

Re: Best materials for smoker fuel

Just put a stick in, the height of the smoker, right on top of an already lit piece of burlap. I've noticed a lot of new beeks don't know the tricks for lighting burlap. "Take an already black chunk and roll it up in the new piece so it sticks out the bottom center, and light the black piece. Same goes for the alfalfa just light the part that is already black. Burlap is easy but the fat bee man makes pine needles look easy. The tighter the material is packed the cooler the burn and therefor the longer. Alfalfa cubes are already packed, so no need to cram the smoker full. "Just my take on it, not trying to sound like a know it all."

Last edited by WilliamReam; 11-11-2013 at 01:55 PM.
Reason: Re read and thought it sounded like i was saying how it is, instead of just my point of view.

Re: Best materials for smoker fuel

<chuckle> Ok, don't you have to light an unburned piece of burlap to attain a "black chunk"? You gotta start somewhere...

Pine straw....YUCK!!! Stinks and makes everything around it stink. Some people may like the smell, but it's stench is just too strong for me. I've been using wood stove pellets for a while and I've been happy with them. Light some dried grass and stick in the bottom of the smoker. When it's burning good put a handful or two of pellets on top of it, keep pumping and before long you've got a good smoke going...without the pine pitch smell. You are right about having something already charred to help get things going...I try to save some of my old, charred pellets to mix into the first handful of pellets. That definitely helps things!

If I ever find a good source of burlap I will definitely try it...I've heard lots of people speak good of it.